Mean s-fob



G. A. MAXWELL.

MEANS FOR APPLYINAG POWER T0 TANDEM COUPLED VEHICLES AND BRAKE MECHANISM THEREFOR. APPLICATION FILED APR. I9. I9I5.

1,305,228. Patented May 27, 1919.

a SHEETS-SHEET I.

IN VEN TOR.

WITNEssls.- w y'jy/QXWM z gw" ATTORNEY G. A. MAXWELL. MEANS Foa APELYING PowEE To TANDEM couPLED VEHICLES AND BRAKE MEcHANlsM IHEREEoR APPUCATN FILED APR19|19|5- 1,305,228.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR. /eaz Waxu/e v l f7 A ATTORNE Patented May 27, 1919.

G. A. MAXWELL. MEANS FOR APPLYING POWER T0 TANDEM COUPLED VEHICLES AND BRAKE MECHAN'ISM THEREFOR.

APPLICA-HON FILED APR. 19. 915. 1,305,228. Patented May 27, 1919.

3 SHEETSF-SHEE 3.

'Illim- IN VEN TOR.

WITNESSES: r

@LEAs-MAXWELL 0,1? DENVER; CLMDOL-CSSIGNO @TONE-HALF more@ j f gHAmBEnLIN, or DENvEit coLonano.

arranged in :tandem ToT all whom concern) :"Be it' known that I, GLEAA. MAxwELL, a

cit "rand coutyofDenver and State of Co orado, have `invented certain new and useful Improvements infMeans for Applying Power to Tandem-Coupled Vehicles and Brake Mechanism Therefor; and I do lde exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art'to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawf ings, and to the characters of reference i; 15

marked thereon, specification.

- Myl invention relates to means for applying power to a series of coupled vehicles relation and also to which form a part of this brake mechanism for cles. My improvement ingof a prime motor, as an internal combustion engine, on one of the vehicles, as the foremost one, and applying the -power of this motororlengggine` to each vehicle individually, as distinguished from a construction .in which the power is applied to the foremosty vehicle only, while the other vehincludes the mountcles simply act in thecapacity of trailers.

improvedmeans conslsts of a shaft arranged longitudinally' of each vehicle and connected-in operative relation with an axle thereof as by theuse of a worm gear, the

1 operating shafts. of Vthe several vehicles be between the vehicles by uni-'- ing connected versal joints, the :shaft 'upon the foremost vehiclebeing'directly operated from the en` 'gineporf connected in operative relation with 1 L the enginel shaft. Y 40 I The brake mechanism consists ofl cables assing through universal joint 'connections tween the Vehicles, su portedbythe bodies of the vehicles. The

i i ca les k.are connected with brake levers carsv '45 ried, byeach vehicle for applyingbrakes to aset of wheels of the ve icle, these cables being mounted on the foremost vehicle of the set. virtue of this arrangement, the person the brakes directly to a set of wheels upon eachA vehicle by manipulating the levers mounted on the foremost vehicle.

Specification of Letters Patent.

States, residing in the such a train'of vehi' said connections beingconnected with e operating levers.

reference-being made'to the accompanying drawing in which is .illustratedan'embodi'-` ment thereof. Inthisdrawingf-l v' y Figure 1 isa-side elevationy of aj train of vehicles equipped with -myv improved power and brake mechanis V f Fig. 2 Iis a section ,taken through oneof the universal joints arranged 'between each two vehicles and through which-the power from the engine is transmitted from` the operating shaft of one vehicle to the correspondin shaft ofthe other vehicle, the parts being'shown on a larger-scale.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation partly in'section, illustrating the foremostv or power vehicle and the forward portion of the vehicle im-v mediately Tin the 'rearyshownon a larger scale than in Fig. 1. v f

Fig. 4 is a v iew illustrating a single vehicle 'together with the universal joint con- Parenteell May 2;"7', 1919. `Applmatnmmammina, 1915. serialmzaizi.

nections for brake and power purposes at its opposite ends.

scaley than Figs. 1, 3 and 4, and on "a smaller scale than'Figj.

The same reference 'characters indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

the parts 'being shown onv `Let the numeral 5 designate foremost vehiclein the rear entirety by the nuf foremost vehicle lis vehicle yof la train, each being designated in its meral 6. Upon the i mounted a motor as an internal combustion engme 7 whose shaft is connected in operative relation with a vehiclek shaft 8 which is journaled as shown at9 in a housingI orgear case 10. [This shaft worm 12 which engages va worm wheel 13 fast on 'the' axle 14 to1whichl is made wheels'15. This wormgearingis' inclosed by Ythe housing; Therear portion of the shaft l 8 passes through yaff stationary sleeve 16 whose rearext'remlty merges -intoan approximately spherical housing 17- forming 8 isequippedy with a axle 14 of its a. part of a universal joint 18. r1`he rear extremity of the shaft 8 has a universal ]o1nt connect-ion 11 with a hollow shaft member 19, the hollow or longitudinal perforatlon of this. shaft being polygonal, preferatilvl square in cross section, as shown at`20., and adapted to receive a 'part 21 of counterpart shape. forming a part of the operatlng shaft S of the car next 1n thea-ear.

llencc, it may be assumed that the operating shaft of each vehicle is ofthe same construction and consequently deslgn'a-ted by the numeral 8. The rear extremity of the operating shaft. 8 of any vehicle has a u1uversal joint connection with the forward extremity of the operating shaft of an adjacent. vehicle, this connection in each casebeing inclosed by an approximately spherleal housing 17. This housing 17 is open at the rear as shown ait 22 and within its rear portion is arranged a, cooperating segment having.r an exposed sleeve member 24 1n whichthe hollow shaft member 19 fits. `his terminal segment 23 of the sleevev 24 is so connected with the hollow shaft member 19 as to permit the necessary movement, whereby there is a flexible joint or coupling between each two vehicles for power-transmitting purposes, andof such character as to compensate for the necessary variation 1n the positions 'of the several vehicles of a. train in passing over uneven or rolling surfaces (sce Fig. 1). e

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that the shafts 8 of all the vehicles are connected in operative relation with the engine '7, and that each operating shaft S has a worm gear connection with the corresponding vehicle.

Each vehicle or unit of the train is also equipped with bra-king apparatus which is applied 'to the wheels 15 thereof in any suitable manner. As illustrated in the drawing, the wheels are equipped with band brakes :25. the latter being connected in operative relation with a rock shaft 26 which is equipped with crank Iarms .27 and 28. There is, of course. wheel and consequently a rock shaft 26 on each side of the vehicle. 1V ith these crank arms `2i' and 28 are connected brake rods 29 and 30, their opposite ext-rcii'iities being connected with brake levers 31 and 32 which are. centrally. located beneath the floor of the vehicle. To the opposite, extremities of the Ibrake lever 31 are respectively secured. as shown at 34, the forward extremities of the two brake rods 29; while t0 the opposite extremities of the brake lever 32 are secured as shown at 35, the forward4 extremities of the brake rods 30. These two brake levers 31 and 32 of each vehicle are respectively connected with ca'bles 86 and 37, the cable connection in each case a set of band brakesvfor each i beilig a central pivot, the, two pivots being designated by the numerals 38 and 39, respectively.

These two cables extend practically the entire length of the train of vehicles and pass through couplings 40 located between the vehicles and composed of inter1orly and exteriorly located hollow ball members 41 and 42. The interior ball mein-ber 41 (see Fig. 5) fits within` the exterior ball member 42 and is adapted to move freely therein to pei-init the change of direction of the vehicles either upwardly or downwaidlyor laterally. as may be required. The interior nieinber is open at both extremities as shown at 43 and 44 to allow the cables 36 and 37' to pass` through from one vehicle to the other. This interior member merges at one ext-reinity into ay block 45 which provided with a. t'rustnin shaped opening 46 which registers with theopening 36 in the ball member 41. The enlargement. of the opening 46 as itextends inwardly towardthe vehicle permits the change of direction of any vehicle with reference to the adjacent vehicle either vertically or laterally. as will be understood. lhe blockp45 is secured to the framework of the. vehicle in v means of bolts 47 or in any other suitable manner. The opening 46 registers at its larger extremity with an opening 48 of corresponding size formed in thel I-beam structure 49 of the framework of' thev vehicle.

The ball member 42 has openings 50 and 5l at its. opposite extremities, the opening 5() being relatively large and` corresponds with the relatively large opening44 of the interior member 41, the large openings of the two ball members as well as the smaller openings 43 and 51 being opposit-ely disposed. The ball member 42 extends toward the vehicle` 6 opposite that with which the block 45 of the member 4l is connected. This member 42 merges first into a neck 52 and finally into .an expanded member or block 53 which is secured to the I-beam structure 54 of the vehicle by means of bolts 55. The opening 51'in themember 42 is continued through the neck 52and the block 53. Furthermore, the web 56 of the I-beaiii member through which the fastening bolts pass is also provided with an opening 57 which registers withthe opening 51 of the' ball member'42.

The extremities of the cables 36 and 37 where they extend inwardly beyond the opening 57 are respectively connected with the brake levers 31 and 32 as heretofore ex-l plained. This will be understood paring the two views 5 and 6.

The forward extremities of the cables 36 and 37 are connected asfshown at 58 and 58A with lower arms 59 and 59A of operating levers 60 and 60A, respectivel mounted on by 'comthe foremosvehicle and carrying pawls 61 and 61A, respectively, engaging ratchet quadrants' 62, one only'being shown.

' It will thus be seen that the cables 36 and 37 which extend practically the entire length of the train of vehicles as heretofore explained, are connected, respectively at their" forward extremities with the operating levers 60 and 60A, thus making 1t practicable to apply the brakes simultaneously to all the vehicles bythe proper manipulation of a single lever or both levers simultaneously, as may be desired, mounted on the foremost vehicle. This is an. important advantage since it prevents the bumping tendency of the rear vehicles of a train, assuming that the brakes are applied to the foremost vehicle only.

Attention is called to the fact that the uni-- versal joints 1S and 40 which form parts of the propelling mechanism and the brake mechanism, respectively, are arranged to cooperate with each other in order to allow the different vehicles of the train to occupy different positions either vertically or later-- ally as is necessary in passing over uneven ground and making turns. The exterior member 42 of each joint 40 is equipped with an oil cup or receptacle 63 which registers with an orifice 64 in the member 42, whereby lubricating material may be introduced.

The cables 36 and 37 may be operated either simultaneously in the case of emergency, or separately, as mayl be, required, by the employment of the levers 60 and 60A,

which are respectively connected With the.

cables as heretofore described.

Attention is also called to the fact that the coupling connections between the vehicles which are employed both with the I power and brake mechanism, are constructed to prevent lost motion or back lash, vwhich is considered an important feature tus of this character.

Having thus described my invention, whatv 1. A traction system for a plurality of tandem-coupled vehicles comprising a power driven shaft composed of flexibly connected units on the several vehicles, braking mechain apparanism on each vehicle, a plurality of fiexible cou lings between the individual cars, estab ishing draft connections between theseveral vehicles and serving also to fiexibly connect the several braking mechanisms and separate flexible couplings for connecting the power driven units.

2. A traction system for a plurality of tandem-coupled vehicles comprising a power `driven shaft composed of fiexibly connected units on the several vehicles, brakin mechanism -on each vehicle, a plurality o A flexible couplings between the individual cars, es- 'Itablishing draft connections between the several vehicles and serving alsoto flexibly connect the several braking mechanisms, separate iiexible couplings for connecting the power driven units, said couplings -being disposed between the individual vehicles and in alinement with the first named flexible couplings.

3. A traction system comprising a tractor land a plurality of tandem coupled trailers,

plings being such that the frame of1 one veicle cannot move upon its axle as a pivot independently of the adjacent vehicle, and brakeoperating-mechanism extending through the flexible couplings.

whereof I affix my signature two witnesses.

GLEA A. MAXWELL. Witnesses MAzE Klaar, A. EBERT OBRIEN.

- In testimjonty 1n presence o 

